PART I. Aristotle and the ancients : Mathematics, motion and machines

Introduction

1. The ancients : Heavenly geometry

2. Aristotle : Touching earth

3. The Arabs : Mohammedan amalgamation

4. Medieval magick and Renaissance revival : Finding the force

5. The merchants : Mathematics of money and machines of war

PART II. The European scientific revolution : The passionate pursuit of order

Introduction

6. Mathematics : The first wave

7. Physics : The first wave

8. Chemistry : The first wave

9. Mathematics and physics : Wave after wave

10. Lavoisier : The chemical tsunami

PART III. The first atomic wars : Dalton to Perrin

Introduction

11. Dalton's diminutive friends : An atomic theory

12. Thermodynamics : The warmth and how it spreads

13. Gnats in sunbeams : Kinetic theory of gases

14. Statistical mechanics : Maxwell's demon and Boltzmann's dream

15. Thermochemistry : Willard Gibbs and the quiet insurrection

16. Atoms or not? The test of Jean Perrin

PART IV. Physics and chemistry come to light : Spectroscopy to quantum mechanics

Introduction

17. Spectroscopy : Rainbows from the sun

18. Electromagnetism : The nature of the sun

19. Atomic structure : Pieces and puzzles

20. The quantum revolution : Little bits of stuff

21. Quantum riddle : When is a particle not a particle? When it's a wave

PART V. The flourish of the physical chemist : Affinity and force

Introduction

22. Rebels and radicals : Quantum chemistry in the United States

23. System and symmetry : The further developments of quantum chemistry

24. The ionists and affinity : Physikalische Chemie

25. Intermolecular forces : The tie that binds

26. Heirs to the ionists : Physical chemistry crosses the ocean

27. Reaction rates : Physical chemistry keeps pace

PART VI. The fruits of their labors : The product of physical chemistry

Introduction

28. Physical chemistry and physiology : Not so strange bedfellows

29. Nonlinear dynamics : Physical chemists make waves

30. Nonotechnology : How low can you go?

Extreme quantum : The questions keep coming

Epilogue.